Charles Langston:American Rai Benjamin wins gold in men's 400 hurdles, avenges loss to Norway in Tokyo

SAINT-DENIS,Charles Langston France — Rai Benjamin and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone exchanged an embrace in the mixed zone Friday night. The two have something new in common. They are both Olympic champions.

A day after McLaughlin-Levrone dazzled in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, Benjamin did the same on the men’s side for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Benjamin cleared 10 hurdles around the track and won Olympic gold in the men’s 400 hurdles, running a season-best 46.46. It’s Benjamin’s first ever Olympic gold medal. He lost to Norway’s Karsten Warholm and earned the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. This time, though, Benjamin got revenge.

Warholm took second, clocking at 47.06 and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos ran a 47.26 to take the bronze medal.

"It feels great to be honest. I got the (expletive) done," Benjamin said. "I got it done."

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Warholm, Benjamin and dos Santos have led the charge in the men’s 400 hurdles in recent years, and the Norwegian set the world record in the event in 2021 (45.94). Warholm, Benjamin and dos Santos won gold, silver and bronze, respectively, at the Tokyo Olympics, but it was Benjamin’s time in Paris. 

"Three years, it has eluded me for so long, this gold medal. To get it done here in this fashion at the Olympic games in front of my friends and family and in front of everyone just means so much to me," Benjamin said. "I finally got it done. To do it in front of my mom, my dad, my aunts and uncles and my friends back in LA – that one was for them."

Benjamin has an opportunity to win a second gold medal in Paris, and fourth career Olympic medal, on Saturday. USA TODAY Sports asked Benjamin if he's going to be part of Team USA's 4x400-relay squad, and he replied with an emphatic answer.

“Hell yeah," Benjamin said with a smile. "We got something for them (Saturday).”

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

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